Opening arguments Thursday in murder and kidnapping trial in Albany

Opening arguments will begin Thursday in the trial of three men charged with the kidnapping and murder of a marijuana dealer who vanished in Albany last year.

The panel of six men and six women were sworn in Wednesday, the last of three days of jury selection before acting Supreme Court Justice Dan Lamont in Albany County Court.

The opening statements are expected to begin at 10 a.m. Albany County prosecutors allege 41-year-old Steven Jackson, known as “Swag,” was abducted as he awaited a shipment of some 500 pounds of marijuana outside a pot stash house at 40 Parkwood St. on June 13, 2010.

Ricky “L” Thornton, 41, Jason “Jay” Benn,” 38, and Louis “God” Chaney, also known as “UB,” are charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping, burglary and conspiracy. If convicted, they face 25 years to life in prison.Authorities allege the defendants later went to Jackson’s home on Stoneridge Court, while Jackson remained at the pot storage location on Parkwood Street.

At some point, authorities say, Jackson died. An indictment alleged Benn dumped the body “beneath the surface, where it was unlikely to be found.”

Benn is also accused of possessing stolen property because he allegedly used the victim’s credit card on the day of the kidnapping at a Price Chopper supermarket on Central Avenue.

In January, Benn was charged along with former co-defendants Gino “G” Uzzell and Anthony “Inf” Davis. Uzzell, who later pleaded guilty to conspiracy, faces 7 to 21 years in prison. Davis faces 10 years for second-degree kidnapping. Both have agreed to testify at the trial.

Uzzell, a drug partner of Jackson, initially targeted him for robbery, authorities said.